Big Bear and Little Bear: Pals Forever
by Theresalwaysacatch
Summary: They'll always be friends, no matter how much they grate on each other. Slightly AU. NOT YAOI. DFC.


**Don't own the characters or settings. Props to Square Enix.  
**

**So, some of you are probably wondering what "DFC" means. Well, it just marks that this story is part of the Dearest Friend Collection. What's that, you ask? It's just a fancy title for a group of one-shots I'm writing that all take place in the same alternate universe, and occasionally reference other stories in the collection. Fear not, though; there's no particular order to read them in or anything, and you certainly don't have to read all of them to understand the plot. These stories are really meant to stand on their own.**

**If you like this, please check out some of the other "Dearest Friend" stories and my multi-chapter story, Standoff. Enjoy and please review!**

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Big Bear and Little Bear. Pals Forever.

When Axel walked into Roxas' room that afternoon, he rolled his eyes. "Seriously, Roxas? Another letter? Aren't you a little too old for a pen pal?"

"Hey Axel," mumbled Roxas. He didn't even bother to look up from the paper he was scribbling over. Judging from his response, he wasn't really listening to Axel, either.

Axel sighed, shook his head. "Roxas. Roxas. Roxas!"

Roxas jumped a little, and turned to face his friend. "What!"

"You promised to go see the basketball game with me today, remember? I'd appreciate it if you didn't bail."

"Yeah, ok. Just hold on a sec," Roxas muttered. He turned back to the looseleaf and continued writing. Axel slinked up behind him and snatched the paper from under his pen. It left a long line of ink across the middle of the letter, and made Roxas a little red in the face. "Hey!" He yelled. "Give that back, Axel!"

"No way. I just **have** to know who you're writing to. Let's see-oh! Looks like a Xiln Lickheart. What the hell kind of a name is Xiln? Or Lickheart?"

"It's Xion, you asshole; Xion Lockheart. Don't act like you don't know who it is. Now cut it out; put it down and let's go!" Roxas kept jumping up, trying to snatch the letter back. It was a useless effort. Axel had at least a foot on him.

"Uh, uh, uh" Axel wagged his finger. "I'm not leaving until I finish reading this. It's good stuff. Although, you know, you should really consider a penmanship class."

"Axel!"

"What's this; 'I've been thinking a lot lately and I want you to know I always hoped-' "

"Axel; Cut it out!"

" '-we could be more than friends.' My, my; is **that** what this is all about? Some preschool crush? Really, Roxas; don't you have more important things to-" Before Axel could finish his sentence, a fist pounded into his stomach and knocked the wind out of him.

"Fuck you, man." Roxas said, before grabbing a black hoodie and walking out of the room.

"Hey...wait..." Axel mumbled, trying to breath normally again.

Eventually, he regained his strength and ran out the house just in time to see Roxas head for Tram Commons. "Roxas, wait up!" Axel followed, but he fell far behind and saw Roxas disappear into the woods.

**oooooooooo**

"Humph." Roxas kicked a nearby tree. "What an asswipe. I can't believe he called her 'some preschool crush'." Roxas fumed, stabbed at the grass with the bottom of his shoe.

Axel had been really cool when Roxas got here. He showed him around Twilight Town and everything, and introduced him to all his friends. Sometimes, though, he could be a real jerk. Like right now.

Roxas kicked another tree, and kept walking deeper into the woods.

**oooooooooo**

"Roxas?" Axel called. "Rox?" No use. All he could hear was the faint buzzing of flies and an occasional chirp from a bird's nest. "Fuck..." he mumbled to himself. He knew Roxas really liked that girl and all, but he didn't realize the kid would get so embarrassed about it. It was pretty obvious to begin with, anyway. When Axel read the letter it was more like a confirmation of what he previously thought than a revelation of some big secret.

He looked around. "Fuck," he whispered again. Even though he'd lived here most of his life, he got lost pretty easily in these woods. He almost never walked more than a few steps in.

_But, _he thought_, Roxas is **new** here-he'll definitely lose his way in the next few minutes_. "Roxas!" Axel yelled. "Roxas!"

**oooooooooo**

Roxas kept wandering aimlessly until he realized he had no idea which direction he came from. He glanced around, but everything looked the same; the trees, the birds, the bugs. "Aww man," he said. "Great, Just great." He thought he heard a person's voice, but he couldn't be sure. Then he realized Axel probably followed him in, and the voice he heard right now probably belonged to him. With a huff, Roxas started walking in the opposite direction. Whatever he did, he was determined to avoid Axel. It wasn't like he'd get any more lost than he already was, anyway.

**oooooooooo**

Axel kept calling for Roxas, but eventually gave up. No response. No Roxas. He wanted to turn around, but he couldn't just leave his friend in here.

Annoyed, he punched a nearby tree. "That shrimp better turn up. He's makin' me nervous."

**oooooooooo**

Unfortunately, Roxas had been wrong. He could, and did, get more lost. He must have been wandering for almost an hour, and he still didn't see any signs of Twilight Town. Or anything else, for that matter.

Roxas sighed. He was starting to think he had flown off the handle back at his house.

Lately, he had just been aggravated. He kept remembering the times he'd spent with Xion in Hollow Bastion, how much fun he had with her. Then he'd think how, out of nowhere, his dad had said the 'company needs me elsewhere' and 'we're moving in December.' Right in the middle of the school year. Roxas still hadn't worked up the nerve to tell Xion how he felt by then. Hell, he didn't even tell her he had to go until two weeks before they left. It was all too much. Just thinking about it made his blood boil. Maybe because of that, he was just looking for someone to explode at, and Axel had been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

When Roxas reached water, he stopped. He looked ahead, and saw a vast river open up in front of him. Sighing, he sat down and leaned his back against a willow. Stared out at the placid pool. Something about this place reminded him of home. Maybe the peacefulness of it all.

**oooooooooo**

After walking for an hour, Axel had all but given up. Dejected, he leaned against a tree. The letter was more than just predictable; it was painful. A total blow to his ego. Sometimes he wished Roxas wasn't so oblivious...

But he shook it off. Tried to forget about it. Stuff like that wasn't important right now; He had to find his friend. Even though he had no idea where he was going.

**oooooooooo**

Roxas stared at his feet. The calm and quiet of the river bank had given him time to reflect on his actions. He was really starting to feel bad for punching his friend; he knew Axel wasn't trying to make him angry.

Axel...he was a good guy. Roxas knew it, even when he was throwing his tantrum. The two of the just butted heads often, and he had felt pretty cranky lately because of the whole Xion thing.

Roxas got up, brushed the dirt off his pants. He held up his phone to see if he could get any service...Nope. Nothing.

**oooooooooo**

He had to find his friend, Axel kept reminding himself. But all the aimless walking was really starting to get to him. He slowed, then stopped. It looked like the river was close-by, but he just couldn't push himself much farther. Eventually, he decided to rest, and took a seat against a tree.

Before he knew it, his eyes had closed and stayed that way for a couple hours. When he woke up, darkness had already engulfed the forest. "Shit!" he yelped, jumping to his feet. By then, he had forgotten which way he came from and which way he was going. He groaned and punched the closest tree.

**oooooooooo**

Almost three hours had passed by then, and the air had turned chilly. Roxas shivered and zipped his jacket up. Now he really felt bad. Axel had probably followed him in here, or at least gotten someone else to look for him. He punched the ground. The whole argument was stupid. He was stupid. Right now, he just wanted to apologize to Axel and go back home.

Then, from the woods, he heard someone yell "Shit!"

It sounded like Axel, and considering he had the hugest pottymouth in town, it probably was him.

"Axel?" Roxas called. He heard a rustling in the nearby brush, then saw Axel's gaunt silhouette appear, with what looked like a few sticks and leaves clinging to his hair and clothes.

"Roxas? You're ok!"

"Of course I'm ok. **You** look like the one who fought a tree and lost."

Axel laughed, punched Roxas playfully on the arm. "Ok, so which way home, shrimp?"

"What? Axel, you mean you don't know? Aren't you the one that's lived here for forever!"

"Hey don't blame me! I hate forests. I just came in to save your sorry ass!"

"Oh, yeah. Like I needed any saving!"

...And the night pretty much passed that way. Luckily, Axel had called some friends before following Roxas into the forest. They got there the next morning to find the pair sleeping comfortably by the riverbed.

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**Hope you guys liked it, please review! Don't forget to check out Standoff and other DFC stories.**

**And in case anyone was wondering, the title of this is a reference to Going after Cacciato, by Tim O'Brien.**


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